UNDER A STONE WITH NO INSCRIPTION

"Under a Stone With No Inscription" is the 3rd full-length studio album by Swedish death metal act Anata. The album was released through Wicked World Records in January 2004. It´s the successor to "Dreams of Death and Dismay" from 2001. There´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as drummer Robert Petersson has been replaced by Conny Pettersson.

The material on "Under a Stone With No Inscription" is US influenced technical death metal. There are definitely a nod or two towards Morbid Angel here and there, although this is generally much more focused on technical playing and complex song structures than their more famous US influence. It´s quite challenging and highly energetic music, and I used to think the album featured a lot of needless technical noodling, but as I´ve given the album more spins over the years, it has won me over, and what I hear now is a lot of technical playing, but it´s technical playing which is a means to an end.

So there are a lot of strong tracks here (they take time to digest and they aren´t instantly memorable, but patience is rewarded), featuring a massive load of killer riffs, solos, and great technical drumming. The vocals are aggressive snarling growls, which suit the material perfectly, and to top it off "Under a Stone With No Inscription" also features a powerful, clear, and detailed sounding production, which further enhances the impact of the music on the listener. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives)